Unpaid Tax Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: HM Treasury
Monday 7th July 2025

(1 day, 19 hours ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Livermore Portrait Lord Livermore (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

Yes, those discussions are ongoing.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe Portrait Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

My Lords, at the end of 2024, it was reported that HMRC injected an extra £300 million into its compliance and fraud operations. Estimates suggest that these teams now have nearly 28,000 staff—which probably includes some of the 5,500 the Minister mentioned. What is the estimated cost benefit of this significant investment? Will the Minister agree to report to Parliament on the cost and on the tax actually recovered on a regular and consistent basis? We all want to see the success of this initiative.

Lord Livermore Portrait Lord Livermore (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

We have committed an average of £660 million each year on measures to do so. By the end of the Parliament, that will raise an additional £5.7 billion per year. That is quite a good cost-benefit ratio. Each Budget will report progress against that.